Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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117. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the salaries of all dog wardens, per county, to include starting salary, increments and top rate of salary, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38284/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. However, local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Acts. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have the power to appoint dog wardens, issue dog licenses, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against dog owners, where appropriate.

Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act stipulates that a local authority must employ at least one dog warden.

The salary paid to a dog warden is a matter for each local authority.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the number of dog wardens, per local authority, including any arrangements for employees from an organisation (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38285/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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From 1 June 2025, under S.I. No. 238/2025 – Dog Control (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

Local authorities, through the Dog Warden service, have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts including enforcement, and are also responsible for all operational activities such as the registration, inspection and regulation of Dog Breeding Establishments, including enforcement activities related to same.

Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act stipulates that a local authority must employ at least one dog warden. Section 15(2) of the 1986 Act empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements with any person for the provision and maintenance of dog pounds or shelters and for the exercise by any such persons of the functions of the local authority under the Act in respect of the acceptance, detention, disposal and destruction of stray or unwanted dogs. Furthermore, section 15(3) of the 1986 Act empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements with any other local authority, or with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), or with a person connected with animal welfare, for the exercise of all or any of its functions, other than its functions under Section 17 or Section 30 of the Act.

It is my understanding, from information provided by the local authorities, that both Cork City Council and Cork County Council have arrangements with the CSPCA to perform certain dog control activities on their behalf.

The procurement of any service in that regard is a matter for each local authority and the management and operation of such pounds or shelters are matters solely for the relevant local authority.

Statistics from local authorities in relation to dog control services are collected and collated each year. These statistics include, but are not limited to, the number of dogs entering and exiting pounds; the number that are re-homed and reclaimed and the number of dog wardens employed by local authorities.

Statistics relating to dog control since 2010 are published and available on www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/.

The 2024 dog control statistics, including statistics on the number of dog wardens have been requested from all local authorities. Once checked and verified, they will be published on www.gov.ie.

The latest available statistics (from 2023) for the number of Dog Wardens employed by each local authority are as follows:

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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119. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details of the number of penalties issued for noncompliance with micro chipping of dogs, per local authority, in each of the years 2022 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38286/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department has policy and legislative responsibility for S.I. No 63/2015, the Microchipping of Dogs Regulation 2015 and S.I. 427/2015 - Microchipping of Dogs (Amendment) Regulations 2015. Under these Regulations, all dogs over 12 weeks of age (or younger if sold before 12 weeks) must be microchipped.

Each local authorities collate the information in relation to penalties for noncompliance with micro chipping of dogs and would be able to supply same on request.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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120. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update in relation to the €2 million allocated in 2024 for the resourcing of dog warden services; if the money has been drawn down by local authorities; the number of new warden posts that were filled with this fun; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38287/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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From 1 June 2025, all policy and legislative responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts transferred to my Department from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG). However, local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Acts. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities have the power to appoint dog wardens, issue dog licenses, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on -the-spot fines and take court proceedings against dog owners, where appropriate.

Prior to 2025, DRCDG did not provide funding to local authorities to employ dog wardens. Income to support local authority Dog Control has been sourced in a number of ways, primarily through dog license fees and local authority own resources, with a nominal amount from fixed charge notices. Section 15 of the Control of Dogs Act stipulates that a local authority must employ at least one dog warden.

In July 2024, funding of €2 million annually was announced for local authorities to support the resourcing of dog warden services from 2025. The funding is intended as a support for the hiring of up to 40 additional dog wardens and does not necessarily provide the full cost of employment. This funding recognises the increased demands in the area of dog control and the need to ensure resources on the ground to enforce the ban on XL Bully type dogs.

To date, funds have been provided to 30 local authorities to support the resourcing of additional dog warden positions from 2025. I am aware that recruitment for dog wardens is underway in several local authorities, however, the final number of appointments is not yet available. Local authorities are to submit a progress report to my Department 12 months after acceptance of the additional funding.

Statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities are published annually on Gov.ie. Information up to and including 2023, including numbers of dog wardens, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page on gov.ie (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/collections/dog-control-statistics/). The 2024 dog control statistics have been requested from local authorities and will be published on gov.ie once available. The 2025 dog control statistics will not be available until next year.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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121. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide details with regard to the number of dog licences and registrations registered in each county's local authorities, in each of the years 2022 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38288/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities are published annually on Gov.ie. Information up to and including 2023, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/collections/dog-control-statistics/) on gov.ie.

The 2024 dog control statistics, including statistics on the number of licences issued have been requested from all local authorities by my officials. Once checked and verified, they will be published on www.gov.ie.

The 2025 dog control statistics will not be available until next year.

The latest available statistics for the number of licences issued by each local authority are as follows:

2022

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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122. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of XL Bullies that have been surrendered to local authorities or animal charities since the XL Bully ban came into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38289/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The ban on XL Bully type dogs was announced in 2024 in the interest of public safety following a series of serious attacks. The ban was brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wish to keep their dog, the time to obtain a free 'Certificate of Exemption'. There was a four month period between the 1st October 2024 and before 1st February 2025, where these owners were able to apply for a 'Certificate of Exemption'. Charitable organisations were also able to apply for ‘Certificate of Exemptions’ for XL Bully type dogs in their care if they wished.

If a person or organisation does not wish to keep an XL Bully type dog, they can surrender the dog to their local authority Dog Warden service where the dog will be euthanised in a humane manner.

Local authorities provide statistics on the number of XL Bully Type Dogs surrendered each month. The following table outlines the number of XL Bully type dogs reported as surrendered to local authorities since the XL Bully type dog ban came into effect, up to the end of May 2025.

Figures for the number of dogs surrendered to animal welfare charities are not collated.